❀ Yukio Okumura

[cranelike]

Comments

[reflash]

About... what happened.

[cranelike]

Ah, you intend to speak to me, then.

(Are they? Friends?)

Very well. I'll listen.

[reflash]

Has my older brother told you who our demonic parent is?

[cranelike]

He didn't.

[reflash]

His name isn't relevant.

But, in essence, he is the incarnation of Gehenna, the supernatural realm.

[cranelike]

Eh?

(He looks surprised to hear this and he really has to... look Yukio over once more now that he has information.)

Like Enma?

(More or less, the King of Hell. )

[reflash]

It's more than that. [He doesn't usually have to explain this from scratch.]

Enma is a god, but our demonic parent is the incarnation of the power that allows him and his realm to exist.

[cranelike]

(And you know what. This is Tsurumaru Kuninaga who lives to be like a crane, just because it's a name. The same person who thinks being stained red in the blood of his enemies will make him appear more cranelike. He's an old spirit who has heard many stories and legends. This? Is fine.)

Very well then. So your father is quite powerful.

(He accepts the explanation easily. No further explanation required! For now.

He doesn't see how this relates to the memory but--)

Continue.

[reflash]

My brother inherited a demonic nature.

I did not. As far as anyone has been able to determine, I am entirely human.

[cranelike]

Rin-kun had mentioned he was half-demon.

(He speaks casually. He doesn't seem to think it's strange or bad. It simply "is.")

Do you think you're lacking because of it, Yukkun?

[reflash]

[Yukio says, with a shake of his head. ]

No. However, recently there have been some... unusual circumstances, which have caused me to question the assessment of my humanity. The memory you saw was from an attempt to test it.

[cranelike]

(Well, he's obviously interested but... just going to wait for Yukio to carry on?)

[reflash]

Obviously, I'm still alive. [there's a twist of a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, like maybe "obviously" isn't the word to use, maybe "unfortunately" would have been better.]

[cranelike]

... You sound disappointed.

[reflash]

I was hoping I would get answers as to why I can't die, but I haven't found those yet.

[cranelike]

Do you want to die?

[reflash]

[that's the first time anyone's asked him so blankly.

yukio hasn't even thought about it in those terms.]

No. [He says, and it doesn't sound convincing.]

[cranelike]

You're quite careless for someone who wants to live.

[reflash]

I don't have time to be careful.

[cranelike]

Some might say you're making less time.

(Some. Not Tsuru.)

[reflash]

They might. [But there isn't time. There isn't enough time left to cut short.]

[cranelike]

Others might say you're simply making the most of what you have.

[reflash]

I don't spend too much time considering what others think of me.

[cranelike]

Not even a little? I've never met a person who doesn't care at all.

[reflash]

That isn't what I said.